Utilities such as gas, water and electric services that are provided to customers are typically metered at the customer's location. Power consumption by the meter is an issue in gas and water meters, because these meters are typically battery powered. Also, cost is a concern, because of the aggregate cost of the meters used by millions of customers across the country.
The power used by gas meters is typically consumed by sensor and analog functions, data processing, and data communications. Management of these power expenditures is important, due to design requirements for battery life.